Pronunciation watch

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Has the BBC ever managed to pronounce "Frankfurt" correctly?

[mercia]

how do you pronounce the ceu in pharmaceutical ? with all this talk about Pfizer and AstraZeneca a lady on R4 keeps saying pharma-cute-ical, whereas I say pharma-suit-ical

[Roehre]

how do you pronounce the ceu in pharmaceutical ? with all this talk about Pfizer and AstraZeneca a lady on R4 keeps saying pharma-cute-ical, whereas I say pharma-suit-ical

pharma-suit-ical.
It also pharma-see, not pharma-key

[Don Petter]

I was surprised to hear KD pronounce 'pathos' to rhyme with 'bat' this afternoon.

Even my other half, who comes from oop north, and has baaths, hadn't come across this before.

[Vile Consort]

But pharma-kology, not pharma-sology and pharma-kopia, not pharma-soapia.

I always say pharma-keutical but the OED gives both pronunciations. It comes from the Greek øαρμακεντικός, so classical scholars might prefer the "k" sound.

But, as my (Austrian) German teacher used to say, "both is correct."

[gurnemanz]

pharma-suit-ical.
It also pharma-see, not pharma-key

suit or syuit?

[gurnemanz]

Has the BBC ever managed to pronounce "Frankfurt" correctly?

There is a very good reason why they might not want to pronounce the philosopher Kant authentically.

[Stillhomewardbound]

I fail to see how 'pharmaceutical' would ever invite the pronounciation, as in 'cuticle'.

That c-e-u surely has to be a soo or a soy, and indeed, as pointed out, with the root being pharma-cee a key is simply wrong.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

How many words in English have a hard "c" when followed by an "e" or an "i"?

[french frank]

How many words in English have a hard "c" when followed by an "e" or an "i"?

Celtic? THough in Scotland, football apart, it is often Seltic.

[teamsaint]

Celtic? THough in Scotland, football apart, it is often Seltic.

ceredigion? how is that pronounced by welsh speakers?

But I'm Sceptical that we will find more.....

[french frank]

ceredigion? how is that pronounced by welsh speakers?

Not an English word - that's Cardigan.

[Honoured Guest]

Ceredigion is the county name (taken from the ancient kingdom) and, yes, is a welsh language name.

The welsh language name for Cardigan is Aberteifi.

[mercia]

How many words in English have a hard "c" when followed by an "e" or an "i"?

I think I would pronounce cephalopod with a hard c ........ not that I have to very often
and I think I've pronounced encephalitis both ways

[Pabmusic]

I think I would pronounce cephalopod with a hard c ........ not that I have to very often
and I think I've pronounced encephalitis both ways

Many Greek words are rendered into English with a hard C - Cephalonia, for instance. Interesting, because Anglo-Saxon (Old English) used a hard C - there was no K in the alphabet (a Norman import). Thus, cynyg and cwene (king and queen), or cnyȝt (knight).

But in general the English C has become soft in its old age.